Braves advised to avoid cutting ties with projected $17 million All-Star

The Atlanta Braves have a few things to work out in the starting rotation before the 2025 Major League Baseball season rolls around.

Atlanta is hoping that Spencer Strider can return to the hill in 2025 and look like a star once again. There's a chance he isn't ready for Opening Day, so the Braves will have to make sure that the club has appropriate depth to cover at least the beginning of the campaign.

The Braves also have both Max Fried and Charlie Morton hitting free agency. Fried has been with the team for the last eight seasons and it seems like he is going to sign elsewhere. Morton has been with the Braves for the last four seasons and seems to be more up in the air.

It wasn't certain whether Morton would be interested in an 18th big league season, but it seems like he is open to playing in 2025.

Spotrac currently is projecting Morton to receive a one-year, $17 million deal after logging a 4.19 ERA across 30 starts in 2024.

That seems like a large deal for a 41-year-old, but MLB.com's Mark Feinsand urged the Braves to consider reuniting with Morton for another season.

"Braves: (right-handed pitcher) Charlie Morton," Feinsand said. "Max Fried seems likely to move on from Atlanta, but the 41-year-old Morton doesn’t seem ready to retire, setting up a return to the Braves. Atlanta has Chris Sale, Reynaldo López, and Spencer Schwellenbach atop the rotation, but Spencer Strider won’t be ready to start the season following last year’s Tommy John surgery. Newly acquired Griffin Canning will also factor into the rotation."

If Morton does want to play another year, it could make a lot of sense for the Braves to bring him back, especially with Strider up in the air. A $17 million deal does seem like a bit of an overpay, but Morton is a familiar and dependable option.

More MLB: Braves predicted to reunite with $136 million starter to build 'dream' rotation